Did the Angels Sing
by agrant33074
Summary: Just in time for Christmas, it's my take on what happened after the brilliant episode, Noel.
1. Chapter 1

I didn't really edit this too much. I just tried to get it done. IT IS EXTREMELY CHEESY.

* * *

I was watching "Noel" in, maybe, mid-early November, and I got the idea to write a post-episode FF for it. I started two different beginnings, and then just decided to finish writing it tonight, in time for Christmas. 

I am pretty sure that in this piece I have used the word "yeah" about 40 billion times, and I think I ripped-off something from another writer. So, basically, I've inadvertently plagiarized, because I cannot remember from whom I stole. Oh well. If you feel mortally offended that I stole a certain thing from you, feel free to let me know, and I'll give you credit. I know that this (a post-ep for "Noel") has probably been done more times than people truly want to count, but I want to do this anyway. It's a one shot, so there isn't really any need for reviews to motivate me to write more, but if you'd like to drop a ":)" or ":(" saying whether or not you liked it, I'd be greatly obliged.

So, in closing, SEASON'S GREETINGS, and, ENJOY!

* * *

The carolers were still singing as they walked to his car.

"Leo's a really good man, Donna."

"I know he is, Josh. He cares for you a lot."

"Before – he started saying this thing about a guy who was down in a hole. And, that, a doctor and a priest came along, and all they'd do for the guy in the hole was throw something down into it. But then, the guy's friend came along, and he jumps in. The guy in the hole thinks the friend's crazy, but then the friend says that he's been down there before and he knows the way out."

"That's really sweet of him."

"Yeah."

Josh gazed off, eyes glazing over for a minute, until Donna interrupted him.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Hm? Oh, I was just wondering what was going to happen to your car."

"I'm just going to keep it here tonight and take a cab."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. It's more important that you go to the hospital and get all set up."

"It shouldn't take too long. You can probably get back home and meet up with your friends, or whatever you do on Christmas Eve."

"It's no big deal. I usually don't do very much."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. Unless I'm in Wisconsin, there isn't really much."

"Right. Wisconsin."

Josh stopped walking.

"I thought your flight was—"

"Tonight. But it's okay, I talked to my parents," Donna said, continuing her stride.

"Donna—"

"No, it's really fine. They're going to come out sometime in the spring. I told them how beautiful it is out here then."

"Donna, you really didn't have to sacrifice your holiday to take me to the hospital."

She stopped, slowly turning around.

"No, I did. I worry about you, Josh. It's important that you get all better. If it weren't for a bunch of crazed lunatics, none of this would have ever happened. You wouldn't have almost died, and then contemplated suicide. You're the one person in my life who's given me a huge opportunity, and I wouldn't be anywhere without you. I care about you too much to let you do this alone."

"Donna."

"Come on," she said, walking back and taking his un-bandaged hand into her own, "we're almost at your car. I've never gotten to drive it before."

Josh smiled. "What makes you think you're going to get to drive it?"

"Your hand could potentially be harboring an infection. Since using a steering wheel requires hands, I'll be driving."

"You better not damage my car."

"What makes you think I'd do that? I'm an excellent driver."

"Uh-huh. You know, you've been vetted and everything."

"Meaning what?"

"That I know about the incident with a mailbox at age seventeen on Lincoln Avenue."

Donna stopped walking and turned to him, their hands still together, stopping Josh short.

"They have that in my FBI file?"

"From the insurance company."

"I was seventeen. I made a mistake. Everyone does."

"Yeah, which is why it's fine."

"I wasn't purposely going out and backing up into mailboxes."

"I know."

"It's not as if I decided that my crazy, wild child terrorism game of choice would be injuring some people's mail receptacles."

"I know, Donna."

"Okay."

They started up again.

"But, you know, the U.S. Postal Service is a little concerned with you."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you first you backed up into a mailbox, then you got caught trying to get a letter back out of a public box."

"No. I'm flagged?"

"Yeah. It actually took some work and a little bit of persuasion by Leo to get the Postmaster General to OK you to work at the White House."

"No."

"Uh-huh."

"No. That seriously couldn't have happened."

"Seems that you aren't the only one here that owes Leo a little thanks."

"The U.S. Postal Service really has that much say in whether or not a person can work at the White House?"

"Oh, yes. You'd be surprised. Think about how much relies on our mail system in the country. It's a big deal."

"But enough that I could become a major flight risk to the administration?"

"Well, some Presidents take the Postal Service very seriously."

"Like?"

"Grover Cleveland, for instance. He broke up a labor strike so that the mail could get from one end of the country to the other."

"Yeah, but that was back before telephones and computers."

"Still. Some of the people over at the USPS think that anyone who could potentially screw around with the White House mail is an important subject to background check."

They walked a few feet more in silence and arrived at Josh's car.

"Keys?" Donna asked. Josh handed them to her, prompting her to give a quick thank you before getting in, buckling up, and starting the car. Josh was slow to get in, throwing his backpack into the backseat, sitting down, buckling, and pushing his seat back, sighing. Donna put the car in reverse, backed out, and they headed on their way. After five minutes, Josh broke the silence.

"Where we headed to?"

"G.W."

"All right."

He found it somewhat suspicious that she had stopped talking after his comments about the mailbox incident. Maybe she didn't know that the entire time he had actually been joking.

Maybe I should tell her, he thought. Later, I will. Right now she looks like she's weighing in on something else in her head.

"Music?" he asked.

"Sure," she said, almost whispering.

He turned the radio on softly, just enough to keep the car from going into complete silence. The sky was gorgeous. The moon was full, the stars shining brightly, and not a cloud in sight. Quite the Christmas Eve, he thought to himself.

Sitting in silence like this with Donna was eerie. Unless they'd had some monumental argument or misunderstanding, the two usually never stopped talking for this time. Something was wrong, but Josh couldn't figure it out. Just before they had been bantering back and forth. What was up?

"How did you know something was wrong?"

"What?"

"How did you know something was wrong with me?"

"I don't know, I just did."

"There has to be more to it than that, Donna."

"Well, just – your attitude had changed. You were more reserved, shutting people out, blowing up over the slightest thing. It just wasn't you."

"I'm sorry about that."

"Oh, Josh, it's not your fault. I just wish I had caught on to it a little bit earlier."

"Well, you did right in time."

"Yeah, I just think I could have saved you from hurting your hand."

"It's just a hand, Donna."

"Yeah, but it symbolizes more than that. It means that you almost decided that things were so bad you needed to take your own life. Do you know how horrible that is?"

"Yes."

"And I just can't – I can't stop blaming myself for letting it get to that level."

"What? Why? Donna, it _isn't _your fault."

"No, but it is, sort of. I was so obsessed with getting to see Yo-Yo Ma that I missed some of the signs. Here I was, jumping around, bugging you, making sure that I got to see a stupid cellist, when your life was in danger."

"Donna."

"I could have stopped it from getting so bad, Josh. Maybe you wouldn't have hurt yourself."

"Donna, please. Stop."

"No. I know you're trying to take some of the guilt off, but I know I screwed up. I didn't screw up a lot, but, look at your hand, Josh. It's not okay.

"But, Donna, there's nothing you could have done."

"Just drop it for right now, okay?"

"Okay."


	2. Chapter 2

The rest of the ride to the hospital was in silence, except for the music in the background. When they finally arrived, parked the car, and got out, Donna put the keys in her purse and reached for Josh's hand again without saying a word, which was fine with him. Their fingers intertwined as they walked in and up to the desk at the nurse's station.

"Hi, I'm Donna Moss, and this is Josh Lyman. We're from the White House and phoned ahead. He needs to get his hand checked out," she said to one of the nurses.

"Yes. That's right," the nurse replied, dressed in a festive nurse's uniform and a pair of reindeer antlers on her head. She handed Donna a big clip board. "I need you to fill these out, Ms. Moss, and, Mr. Lyman, come with me please."

Josh began to walk away with the nurse, when he saw Donna sit down in one of the chairs.

"You're not coming in with me?"

"No," she replied. "I'm going to wait out here filling out paperwork, but I'm not going to leave until you're done. I'll be right here, okay?"

"Okay."

Josh stood still.

"Mr. Lyman?"

"Yeah, one sec," he said, turning to the nurse. He sat down, taking the seat next to Donna, taking her hand.

"I really, really appreciate all you're doing for me with this, Donna."

"Don't worry about it. I just wish I could have helped more, you know?"

"I know, but you're doing as much as you could do." He paused. "Except, of course, if you could come in there with me…"

"Josh," she smiled, "are you afraid?"

"A little."

She laughed, rolling her eyes.

"You'll be fine. And I promise, I'm not leaving. When you're done I'll be right here to take you home."

"Okay," he said, reluctantly, beginning to get up. He then bent down and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "You are amazing, Donna. Don't beat yourself up."

Donna couldn't help but blush. Under any other circumstances, a kiss on the cheek from Josh would have been dream-like.

"Thanks," she mumbled quietly.

"Ready, sir?" the nurse asked.

"Yes."

Donna watched as they walked out of sight and returned to filling out all of Josh's information, her mind racing. Tonight, as horrible as the reason why they were in the hospital, had been indescribable. She and Josh had held hands, twice, and he had just kissed her on the cheek. It – as horrible as it was to say it – almost made her happy that Josh had needed her to help him again. That she could save his life.

Wait, what am I saying? Donna thought. I'm happy that Josh almost died because I get to take him to the hospital and let him hold my hand, or more rather I hold his hand? How sick and twisted is that? I shouldn't be happy because of this. I am the one who could have stopped it. But, there's nothing I can do anymore. I can't go back and change things. If I could, I'd certainly not let Josh go to Rosslyn. Or, I'd let Ron Butterfield know what was going to happen at that office building. But that's why I hate thinking about changing the past. I can't change it, I'm here, now, with the past that I've already had.

But why do I care so much about Josh's well-being? Sure, I don't want him to die – I don't want anyone to die. But, there's something else. I feel as though if Josh were to die, I'd die too. Or, I'd want to die. He's my boss, yeah, but there's something more than that. He's my friend, yeah, but there's something more than that. I know there is. There always has been, but I've never been willing to admit it before. But, now, tonight, maybe I am. Josh let our fingers intertwine, and kissed me on the cheek. I just don't know what to do. I feel so responsible for having him nearly kill himself. I don't know whether or not I could start something with him.

I should just let tonight be what it is. Let this be a memory I can keep forever. A time where Josh needed me, and I helped him. Because I love him: like a friend, maybe more than that.

She stopped staring at the forms, blank, and gave them their required information. Within twenty minutes, Josh was back, walking out, looking relieved.

"You okay?" she asked.

"Yeah. Nothing too bad, I had to get a few stitches, but it's not infected or anything. I did a pretty good job all by myself."

"Good."

"Yeah. Perhaps there's a career in medicine for me after this political gig is over."

"You really want to get out of politics?"

"Actually. No. Never. I love my job."

"Me too. Even though my boss can be a pain in the ass sometimes."

"Ha, ha, ha. We all set to go?"

"Yeah, your forms are all in order."

"Then, let's go."

Josh reached for her hand again and interwove his fingers with hers, turning around and waving goodbye to the nurse at the same time.

"Merry Christmas, Mr. Lyman," the nurse called out.

"Thanks, you too."


	3. Chapter 3

When they got back to the car, after walking in silence, Josh walked over to the driver's side.

"Um, excuse me?" Donna said.

"What?"

"That innocent look isn't going to work with me. You need two hands to drive a car. I have two serviceable ones, you have one."

"Not anymore. Now I'm fine."

"Did the doctor tell you that?"

"Yes."

"Did he really?"

"Yes!" Josh squealed.

"If I were to go in and ask him, he would verify what you just told me?"

"Donna!"

"Would he?"

He paused.

"Well, he didn't really—"

"Ha!"

"He didn't tell me whether or not I could drive. I didn't bring it up."

"Well, I have the keys, so I'm kind of in control of the situation at hand."

"I promise, I'll be fine. I – I want to take you somewhere."

Donna turned her head to give him a skeptical glance. "You want to take me somewhere?"

"Yeah. To celebrate Christmas Eve, since I sort of ruined it for you."

"But, Josh, not to sound anti-Semitic, but you're Jewish."

"So? Tonight I'll adopt your Christian ways."

"Your mother will disown you."

"She'll never know. Can I drive the car?"

"Fine," Donna said, as she reluctantly handed over the keys. "But don't say I never let you get away with anything."

"Oh, I know that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. How soon you forget those days of Donna-dictatorship with 'the rules.'"

"They helped you recover sooner."

"Yes, and I really appreciated all the time you spent with me. You're my own Florence Nightingale, minus the whole Crimean War. Now, get in, we're going to do something fun."

"Fine. But you better not be kidnapping me, or something."

Josh smiled and opened the car door, getting in with Donna following suit and driving off.

"So, how was the waiting room?" Josh asked.

"Pretty uneventful. Nothing too disturbing or shocking. It would have made for a very boring episode of 'ER'."

"Well, were there cute doctors running around?"

"Nope. No Noah Wyle."

"I guess all the cute ones take the holidays off."

"Not Dr. John Carter. He's always there to help out at County."

"Your hero."

"Sort of."

Donna looked out the window at the lights in the houses that they passed.

"I love it when everyone has their houses lit up," she remarked.

"Yeah, it's really pretty."

"But I don't understand the whole concept of lights and Christmas. I think it has something to do with the fact that the way to Bethlehem, or the way to Jesus's manger was shown to people by way of candles lit in houses. So, now we light stuff up in remembrance."

"Fascinating."

"Sorry."

"No, it's fine, it does look pretty."

"Yeah, it really does," she said, and then paused, starting again with, "So, where are you taking me?"

"Well, it's Christmas Eve, and normally people do some sort of celebrating. So, we're going to do a few small things to celebrate it."

"Starting with…"

"You'll see."

They drove up towards the White House.

"We're going back to work?" Donna asked.

"Not quite." Josh smiled.

Josh took the car up to the Ellipse, where the National Christmas Tree was lit up, looking beautiful.

"Oh, Josh. This is so cute."

"We're not just here to look at the tree, Donna."

"No?"

"No."

"What are we going to do? Decorate it with the trash in your back seat?"

"Nope."

Josh put the car in park, switched the radio station to Christmas music, unbuckled, and got out of the car.

"Josh?"

"Come on!"

"Okay…"

Donna stepped out and Josh stuck his head in the car, turning the volume way up. It was a faster song, perfect for twirling and dipping.

"Josh, what are we doing?"

"Come here," he said, gesturing towards her, "we're going to dance."

She walked over to him, somewhat hesitantly, as he put one hand on her shoulder and took the other in his, beginning to dance across the Ellipse. She laughed.

"Now, isn't this fun?" he asked.

"Very," she smiled back.

The song ended, a slow, old one replacing its predecessor. Josh moved his hands to the small of her back, pulling her in close, and Donna put her arms around his neck and put her head on his shoulder. It felt amazing for both of them.

They stood there, rocking back and forth to the music, in complete silence. Neither knew what to say. Maybe words really weren't important in the situation. Whatever the reason, they held on to each other tightly, savoring every moment. They knew the song would end too soon, and it did. Neither moved from their position. Slowly, Josh pulled his head back, whispering

"Merry Christmas, Donna."

"Merry Christmas, Josh."

"Thank you for all that you've done for me. You mean so much to me."

"You mean so much to me, too."

"And, I'd like to show you how much I appreciate you, and, well, love you, but I'm not sure if you'd like it."

"I love you, too Josh."

"And I'm not just saying this because it's a holiday, and during the holidays everyone has the holiday spirit and is supposed to be nice. I'm saying it because I really do care for you, Donna."

"I know."

"I think you're amazing. You keep me sane, you've saved my life, you're beautiful, you're intelligent, and you're one of the best people I know. I just wish that I could tell you that more often."

Donna smiled. "Well, you just did."

"But I wish I could do more than that. Because, Donna, I don't just love you the way I love everyone else. I love C.J., but not in the same way I love you. It's more than that. And I just wanted to you know that."

"I know. I understand. It's different for me, too."

"And, you just feel –right now – holding you – it feels amazing. I've wanted to do this for so long, Donna. And I know that it's not right, but I don't care because I am listening to my heart, as stupid as that sounds. I love you. You're perfect."

Suddenly, tears started running down Donna's cheeks. She wasn't sure why, but she couldn't get them to stop.

"Thank you, Josh," she whispered.

He hugged her tightly, his head raising up, looking towards the sky for a sign. Some sign that would tell him to screw everything, and just kiss her. Turn this vocal confession into a physical one, as well. Well, screw signs, he thought to himself, This has to be done anyway.

"Donna," he said, lifting her head up from his chest. He looked at her, starting to move his lips closer to hers and analyzing the expression on her face. Slowly he moved, until hers met his. They kissed, slowly, sweetly, until she broke it up, burying her face in his jacket again, with him hugging her even more tightly, his head resting upon hers.

"I love you, Josh," she said almost inaudibly into his jacket.

"I love you too."

He pulled her off away from him, a plan brewing in his mind.

"Hey, I have an idea."

"What?"

"Why don't we go park my car next to yours and walk around the National Monuments for a little while. We can walk back to your place if you'd like, and talk the whole way there."

Donna wiped underneath her eyes, trying to get rid of any mascara that may have gotten messed up from crying.

"All the way back to my apartment?"

"Yeah. If we get tired we can get a cab. Does that sound okay?"

"Okay."

"Okay."

"Are you going to go home afterward?"

"Only if you want me to."

"No. Stay. I don't really want to spend Christmas alone."

"Okay."

They got in the car and drove it to where Donna's car was parked, got out, and started to walk, their fingers intertwined, yet again.

"So, what is it that you wanted to talk about?" she asked.

"Well, I wanted to find out what you thought about maybe spending more time with me."

"Josh, I spend countless hours with you."

"Yeah, but I meant hours doing different things than running the government."

"Oh. I could be amenable to that."

"And I also need to tell you that I was kidding about the mailbox thing."

She laughed. "I know."

"And I just want to walk with you, and talk with you, tell you how I think you're amazing, and reiterate the fact that I love you."

"Then, let's go."

As they walked off, starting on the journey back to Donna's apartment, she smiled. A Christmas that had seemed lonely, depressing, and melancholy, was turning out to be none of those things.

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There is actually a companion to this story, called "A Good Egg Hunt," and can obviously be found on my profile page. 


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